


Reverie

by OneWordAtATime



Category: Person of Interest (TV)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-17
Updated: 2016-12-24
Packaged: 2018-07-15 16:55:22
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 17,426
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7230838
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OneWordAtATime/pseuds/OneWordAtATime
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This is a series of one shots or mini arcs revolving around Root & Shaw's life together in a world where they had taken Samaritan down without Root dying.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Date Night**

The steakhouse is a tiny little hole in the wall place in midtown and root would have never found it if it wasn’t for the machine casually dropping the address into her ear with the recommendation to have the fillet.  
She and Shaw were just getting back from a particularly difficult number and she knew Shaw would be hungry after the gun battle they had just escaped so it was a perfect solution.

“Hello ladies, can I get you something to drink?” The waiter smiled at them both but Shaw was too busy scouring the menu to notice and Root just smiled back at him.

“Can I have a bottle of the house red please? And she’ll have a scotch on the rocks.”

He nods, scribbling down their drinks before moving away and root just turns her attention back to Shaw.

“Anything caught your eye Sameen?” She smirks.

“14 oz fillet.” Shaw looks up at last, her brown eyes betraying her eagerness and Root just chuckled, turning to nod gratefully at the waiter when he brought their drinks. Shaw looks surprised but pleased by her scotch, she was obviously too engrossed in the menu to have even heard Root order for her and when the waiter is finished pouring Root her first glass of wine she just smiles back at him.

“We’d both like the fillet please, medium, but can we also have the sharing appetizer.” The man nods and smiles and hurries off again and Root just relaxes into her seat, sipping at her wine and humming at the beautiful taste.

The machine did good with this recommendation.

“Hows your hand?” Shaw grunts, her dark eyes landing on Roots fingers which are wrapped elegantly around her wine glass, the woman's brow furrowing slightly as she studies the bruising.

“Fine, just sore.” Root shrugged, running her fingers absently over the bruised knuckles in question.

She’d misjudged a punch and ended up hitting the side of a car which ordinarily would be funny but it hurt like a bitch and she had a little cut between the knuckles of her index and middle finger that was still stinging.

“I’ll take a look at them when we get home.” Shaw frowns. “Probably need to be wrapped for a day or two.”  
Root just hums in acknowledgement, fighting the small smile that grows at Shaw so casually mentioning them going _home_.

They hadn’t really talked about it but since Shaw had escaped Samaritans grip a year previously, the small Persian had just taken up residence at Roots safe house as if she had always lived there, and it had quickly became “Root and Shaws place”to the guys. 

Not that Root minded.

She was quite happy to have the woman in her bed every night actually.

Even when she was grumpy.

* * *

Their appetizer is a huge plate laden with garlic mushrooms, calamari, sweet potato fries and chicken wings and Root can only smile as she picks at bits and pieces, knowing full well she cant eat much if she wanted to enjoy her steak, while Shaw practically shovels the food into her mouth.

The girl has one hell of an appetite considering her perfectly toned physique...

When the steaks arrive, Shaw's eyes practically gleam and Root does laugh then, chuckling lightly as she cuts into her own steak, humming in acknowledgement of how delicious it is while Shaw just moans blatantly.

“This is the best fucking fillet I've ever had.”

They get a disgruntled look from an old couple besides them, probably at both Shaw's language and the fact she talks with her mouth full, already cutting into her steak for the next bite while chewing on her mouthful but Root just rolls her eyes at them and gazes at Shaw in amusement and adoration.

Shaw was very mechanical and restrained to the untrained eye. 

Emotionless and calm even in the most intense of situations. 

Root knew better of course. 

She was an expert in Shaw now and even when the brunette gave nothing away to anyone else, Root always knew what the small but deadly woman was thinking or feeling.

When she ate though...

That was a different matter.

It was the only time Shaw seemed to let go of her mask and seemed comfortable enough to let everyone see how much she was enjoying herself. 

She ate with vigour and clear delight. 

It was quite the sight.

* * *

“Was the meal okay ladies?” 

Their waiter smiles at them both as he picks up their empty plates and Shaw just nods, leaning back in her chair to stretch like a cat who'd just downed a jug of milk.

“It was delicious thank you...could we have the bill though please? This one gets sleepy after being fed.” She smirks and the waiter chuckles at Shaw's visibly annoyed look.

“Sure thing, be right back.”

“After being fed? What am I? A dog?”

“Actually i see you more as a cat.” Root pulls out her purse and just smirks even more when Shaw raises an eyebrow at her.

It isn’t until Root has paid and the waiter is bidding them goodnight that it comes up.

“Thank you for coming girls, hope you enjoyed your date and hope to see you soon.” 

The waiter is all smiles and warmth as he holds the door open for them and Root sees Shaw give him a startled sort of look but she quickly puts her hand on her lower back and pushes her out the door.

* * *

“Was that a _date_?”

Root just links her arm through Shaw's, smiling when the woman tenses but doesn’t pull away like she would have done over a year ago. 

“Well, we had food at a nice restaurant, I paid the bill and now we’re taking a romantic stroll back to our stolen car so I'd say we’re still on it.”

Shaw looks genuinely surprised and Root nearly laughs at her clearly uncomfortable gaze.

Root can tell the woman's mind is racing, probably thinking back over the last year and Root can see the frown forming.

The first few months after Shaw came back from Samaritans compound had been a struggle.

Shaw had been healing. 

Suffering from nightmares and flashbacks more than any physical ailments (although she'd returned with a fair few scars too) and she had been more distant than ever to begin with, barely letting Root touch her or talk to her for the first few weeks.

But she had been clingy at the same time.

She had barely left Root’s side.

A silent, brooding shadow almost.

But Root had been persistent and the boys had been amazing, in getting Shaw's mental and psychical state back on track and by the 4 month mark, Shaw was mostly back to her old self.

Sarcastic.  
Clever.  
Grumpy.

And by that point they had already fallen into a routine together without really noticing it.

Meals were mostly eaten together and usually consisted of takeouts from the Chinese across the road or hastily grabbed meals in between numbers.

Root would “do her hacking thing” as Shaw put it while Shaw would work out.

They'd have wonderful, wonderful sex until both were exhausted and sated.

They would wake up tangled together, usually when Shaw got up to go for her morning run.

It had just sort of... _happened_.

They had fallen into this comfortable pattern...

And now Root could tell Shaw was worrying what exactly that pattern meant which was ridiculous considering they had been living and sleeping together for over a year now.

“Stop over thinking Sameen. It was just steak. Nothings changed because someone called it a date.”

With a soft kiss to her cheek, Root slap her arm and pulled away, walking around to the passenger side of the car. 

“Now lets go home so you can play doctor, my fingers are hurting and we both know i need them.”

Shaw’s smirk in reply only made her grin.

* * *

2 weeks later she is on her laptop in the living room when she feels her coat land on her lap and she looks up in confusion to see Shaw standing there, zipping up her jacket. 

“Are we going somewhere?”  
“Yeah come on.”

She doesn’t question it, just shrugs into her jacket and follows Shaw down the stairs and into a cab.

Her eyes light up when they pull up outside the restaurant.

Its her _favorite_ Italian.

4 hours later when they arrive back to the apartment, both groaning they're so full, Root all but collapses into Shaw on the couch and sighs into her neck. “Sameen?”

“Hmm?”

“Did you just take me on a date?”

It sure felt like one.

Her favorite restaurant.

Gorgeous food.

Shaw had paid.

Shaw had let her hold her hand when she had reached across the table (despite the uncomfortable look that crossed her face at the action).

And best still, the shorter woman had held the door open for the taxi and their apartment building...

“I don’t date.” Shaw mutters, her face stoic and unreadable but Root saw right through it to Shaw’s anxiety and discomfort and she could only smile softly at her.

She knew this kind of thing didn’t come naturally to Shaw. 

Romance wasn’t exactly something Shaw enjoyed.

But she’d tried to be romantic anyway.

That’s what counted.

“Well...thank you for the _not_ date then. I had a wonderful time.” Root smiled as she kissed her on the cheek and she didn’t miss the small twitch at Sameen’s lips when she pulled away either...

//////////////////////


	2. Chapter 2

**Root getting hurt**

It’s a run of the mill number.

A CEO’s ex wife was either hiring a hitman to kill her wealthy ex husband or the ex husband was hiring a hitman to silence his ex wife.

Pretty standard stuff.

Somehow, the hitman gets spooked as their boxing him in and that’s all Shaw see’s is the flash at the muzzle of his gun and then Root hitting the ground, and for the first time in her life, she feels a horrible twisting in her gut and the air freezes in her lungs.

“Ms Shaw? Ms Groves? Is everything alright? What was that sound?”

Shaw has already put two bullets in the shooters chest.

* * *

It takes her 5 hours and 6 bags of stolen blood to get Root stabilized and when she's absolutely sure the hacker isn’t in immediate danger of flat lining, she collapses onto a seat besides the makeshift operating table and stares down at her blood covered hands.

Root's blood.

“She’ll be okay Ms Shaw...you did an excellent job.” Harold puts his hand on her shoulder but she doesn’t feel it. Nor does she hears his words.

* * *

She takes a shower, changes her clothes and then sits in wait on the chair besides Root's bed, ignoring Harold and John who both watch her with concern.

She knows their worried.

Her expressionless face and blank eyes used to terrify her family as well as the kids she came into contact with at school and no matter how used to her the team are, she knows neither of them quite understand how to read her.

They've gotten good.

Better than 99% of the people Shaw's ever known.

But its only Root who seems to always be able to read through her stoic expression and understand how her brain is working.

This is the first time in her life that shes felt that lurch people talk about when they mention worry and panic and its making her feel...uncomfortable.

She knew since coming back from Samaritan and re-connecting with everyone, with Root, that something had changed inside her.

The volume had gone up.

Just a fraction.

But enough all the same.

And now here she was.

For the first time in her life.

She felt scared.

* * *

“Ouch.”

Root's wince as she tried to sit up was obviously playing off how much pain she was actually in and Shaw was instantly out of her seat, reaching for the morphine she had stolen from the hospital and quickly injecting it into the drip hooked up to Roots hand.

The brunette looks confused for a moment as she looks around the subway and then her eyes focus on Shaw and the small woman can see the moment realization sets in because Roots grimace turns into an almost apologetic one.

“I got shot.”

“Yes.” Shaw returned stiffly, keeping her gaze on the iv bag instead of looking at the hacker. In a few seconds the morphine would hit her blood stream and likely knock her back out again.

“Shaw I-“

“Don't do it again. Ever.” 

The anger and vehemence in her own voice surprises her so its not a shock that it shuts Root up too and she sees the apologetic look again but also a small flicker of happiness and adoration.

She’d gotten used to that look being directed at her from Root these days.

“I’ll try not too...I promise.” Root reaches out a hand to link with hers and Shaw reluctantly allows it, clenching her jaw as she looks down at their entwined fingers. “Thank you for taking care of me Sameen...it- it really does mean the world to me.”

Shaw doesn’t say anything, just stares at their hands until she feels Root's start to go lax.

“I love you.” Root mutters just before she passes back out.

Shaw doesn’t stop staring at their hands.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Smut Ahead**

**Jealousy**

Root had been acting weird all afternoon.

Well, weirder than normal.

She was strangely quiet, constantly furrowing her brow and Shaw had caught her pouting in her direction a few times but every time she asked her what was wrong the brunette would just shake her head and paste on that perky smile she had perfected long ago as a mask.

“Nothing sweetie.”

Shaw wasn’t convinced.

Never the less, this kind of thing had become quite common.

Root acting a certain way and Shaw not having a clue why until eventually root revealed some weird thought or emotion that Shaw had no way of understanding.

She knew Root wouldn’t sit on whatever was bothering her for too long so she just shrugged it off.

* * *

The only sounds breaking the silence of the apartment were the smacking sounds as Roots hips collided with her ass, the wet schlicking sound of the strap on sliding deep inside her and their combined heavy breathing as they rutted against each other.  
It was rhythmic.

Melodic.

Probably one of Shaw’s favorite sounds.

Besides the little whimpering mewl sound Root always let out when she neared her orgasm...

“How’s it feel Sameen?” Root’s sudden question breaks the silence, her voice more strained and out of breath than normal and Shaw just grunts in response, keeping her forehead flat to the arm she was leaning on and reaching back behind her with her other to try and grab Root’s hip.

She liked to be touching Root somehow when they fucked...even when it was from behind.

Roots hands were firmly on her hips and she squeezed when Shaw didn’t verbally reply.

“Sameen...tell me how it feels or I stop.” Root sing songed and Shaw just groaned, arching back against the slender body behind her. 

Fuck.

She knows Root has a thing for dirty talk, the girl has a filthy mouth and an amazing imagination and honestly, sometimes Shaw can get off just on what Root whispers in her ear as they have sex but the brunette rarely forces her to reply in kind.

“S’good Root...it feels good.” Is all she rasps out but it seems to be enough for the brunette hacker because the woman’s hips pick up speed a little, angled downwards more which drives a long, drawn out moan from the Persian.

“Whose fucking you Sameen?”

Shaw grunts again. “What?”

Roots fingers dig into her, a bit more painfully this time and she inhales sharply. Fuck that feels good.

“I asked...whose...fucking....you?”

Root punctures each word with a rough jab of her hips and Shaw feels her eyes roll, her orgasm just barely out of reach.

“You...you Root.”

She’s rewarded by roots fingers circling roughly over her clit and she can’t hold back her orgasm anymore, with a sharp gasp of “fuck Root”, she shudders, her whole body wracking with the force of the orgasm and she can vaguely feel Root still pounding away inside her, bringing her down completely from her orgasm until she’s boneless on the bed and only then does the brunette come to a slow stop, her harsh breathes even more ragged than Sameen’s.

When the toy slips out of her, she sinks further into the bed and turns, watching as Root unbuckles the harness around her waist and steps out of it before climbing onto the bed to join her, her dark brown eyes soft as her gaze drifts over Shaws body.  
Shaw may not understand emotions.

But when Root looks at her like that, she knows what it means and she feels a responding warmth in her chest that makes her smile a little back at her and reach out her arms.

Root gladly falls into them and Shaw squeezes her once before rolling so they are both on their sides and its then she reaches out and runs her hand down the curve of Roots hip, finally getting to touch the brunette the way she wanted.

 

“Do you miss men?”

 

The question snaps her out of her lustful appreciation and she blinks a few times before she focuses on Roots face with a frown.  
“What?”

“Nothing...just...forget about it.” Root shakes her head, her gaze flickering off to the side instead of meeting Shaw’s like she normally does and Shaw wants nothing more than to do just that.

Forget Root had said anything.

But if this thing with Root had taught her anything, it’s that if they don’t talk about it now, it only delays the inevitable.

And Shaw is well aware that it isn’t exactly easy to be with a sociopath the way Root is with her.

The least Root deserves is to get to talk about her feelings since Shaw cant exactly express in the same way.

It’s how they worked.

Root would tell her how she feels and Shaw would try her best to make sense of it. Most of the time she got it. She wasn't stupid after all and she wasn't completely unfeeling but it was difficult for her to make the jump between how Root acted sometimes and what she was feeling or thinking simply because she just didn't think the same way as the taller brunette sometimes.

The woman was complex after all.

“Root...what’s wrong? You’ve been weird all day and now you’re asking me if I miss men right after you fucked me?” Shaw frowns at her and Root just sighs, still not looking at her.

“You seemed awfully convincing earlier.”

For a beat, Shaw doesn’t get where Root is coming from but then it clicks.

Jacob Emry.

The number they had received last week and resolved today.

The guy had made some bad enemies by sleeping with the wrong women and he’d had a particular preference for “exotic” looking girls.

It hadn’t taken much for Shaw to catch his eye.

“You’re kidding right? With Emry? Root it was a number, I was doing my job.”

“Convincingly.” Root muttered and Shaw’s stare just hardened.

“I didn’t have you pegged as the jealous type.”

Finally roots eyes met hers, a spark of anger in them. “I’m not jealous. I just had to listen to my girlfr-“ Root abruptly cuts off, biting her lip and shaking her head. “I just had to listen to you telling him how thrilled you were to be going home with him. How eager you were to sleep with him.”

Root looks disgusted and Shaw just stares at her for a moment longer before sighing and running a hand through her hair.

“Root...I was acting. I didn’t want to have sex with him and I knew it wasn’t going to actually happen. I knew we were about to get interrupted. If I thought for a second I would have actually had to go through with what we were flirting about...”Shaw trailed off with an exasperated sigh and Root just stares down at the bed.

“Look...Monogamy isn’t exactly something I understand you know that. But I’m not going to go out and fuck someone else when I know how much it would hurt you. It doesn’t mean anything to me but it means something to you.”

After a few seconds Root looks up again and this time, Shaw sees they’re filled with both sadness and a strange softness that Root only ever seemed to get around her. “Besides...you keep me more than satisfied so why would I look elsewhere.”

That makes roots lips twitch upwards and Shaw is surprised when the brunette suddenly leans in and presses a soft kiss to her lips.

“How do you always manage to say the right things?”

Shaw just blinks. “That was the right thing to say?”

“Yes Sameen it was.” Root smiles at her warmly and leans in again, kissing her for longer. “It means the world to me that I mean so much to you that you do things that don’t come naturally to you.”

Shaw just hums for a moment and shrugs. “Most people wouldn’t put up with a sociopath. The least you deserve is me being mindful of your feelings.” 

Root just kisses her again and as they break away Shaw’s mind catches on a brief snippet of their earlier conversation. 

“You can call me your girlfriend...I mean- I’m not a fan, but whatever, if it makes you feel better.”

Roots grin is positively beaming.


	4. Chapter 4

**After care**

Root is excellent at inflicting pain.

When Shaw was in one of “those” moods, the brunette seamlessly stepped up to the plate, taking on a strangely effective sadistic persona that stole Shaw’s breath away.

Shaw had discovered her masochist tendencies fairly early (there was only so many times you could feel heat in your belly when you’re being tortured before it clicks in your head) but unfortunately, she never really got to indulge them until Root.

She wasn’t exactly a trusting person by nature.

She wasn’t exactly submissive either which made things even more difficult for her.

But with Root, somehow it just came naturally.

When Shaw wanted to give up control (and it was a surprisingly common occurrence) she only had to look a certain way and Root just got it, usually smirking at her and reaching for the nearest pair of handcuffs.

When Shaw wanted to hurt, again, she only had to look at Root a certain way and the brunette clicked, effortlessly reading her and rising to the occasion in usually very creative and cruel ways.

Root never held back but always knew Shaw’s limits and it led to Shaw being more sexually satisfied than she had in years.

Whether it was a knife, a whip, a taser, her bare hand or any of the other dozen torture implements they kept locked up beneath the bed, Root wielded Shaw’s pain with an artistic flare that left Shaw an utter mess.

And that was the other thing Root was excellent at... _aftercare_.

It’s the trickiest part.

Because it’s when Shaw is the most vulnerable and deep down, when she is coming down from the high of an orgasm, with blinding pain also swirling along her nerves, her first instincts are to try and protect herself. To curl away, embarrassed and awkward about letting herself go so completely beneath Roots talented hands, words and eyes.

Yet somehow, Root takes all that away with just a look, touch or word.

It’s never consistent.

Shaw never knows what it is she needs for reassurance afterwards but Root seems to guess correctly every time and Shaw always, always succumbs easily to Roots care afterwards.

“Your okay sameen. Your okay, you’re safe.” Root murmurs gently, her low voice soft and warm against Shaw’s temple and the small Persian can only bury her face into the hackers neck as if trying to hide away.

Root doesn’t hold her exactly, but she does run her fingers softly through Shaw’s hair as if petting her and its just what Shaw needs. “You were perfect.”

Shaw trembles but again doesn’t react. At least not outwardly.

Internally she feels the familiar pang something in her gut she has grown used to at Roots praise but has struggled to put a name to and she hums against the brunettes throat.

The stinging red lines that criss cross her back from the whip root had used and the dark red chaffing around her wrists are barely felt, not with Roots calming reassurances and praise murmured against her forehead...

/////////////////////////////////////////////////

It was her own attempts at after care that worried Shaw.

Root, despite enjoying inflicting pain, wasn’t as into receiving it as Shaw was.

Sure she liked the odd slap, bite and very occasionally a crop to her more intimate areas, but she didn’t get a kick out of the serious pain stuff. 

She’d gasp sharply at just getting her nipples pinched too hard so Shaw couldn’t imagine her handling the level of pain she often inflicted on Shaw.

And Shaw was perfectly happy with that if she was honest.

She didn’t really enjoy making Root wince or flinch.

Root was too delicate for that. 

The brunette did however have a submissive streak a mile wide and a specific kink for choking and orgasm denial.  
And just as Root did for her kinks, Shaw was more than happy to step up to the plate to fulfill Roots needs when she was in that kind of mood.

She quickly became an expert at it too.

Knowing exactly how tight to squeeze at Roots throat to cut off her supply of oxygen but not leave too bad a bruise.  
Knowing exactly how long she could keep a scarf or tie wrapped tightly around Roots throat as she fucked her before she had to release it to keep the woman from passing out.

And orgasms...well Shaw was a goddamn expert in Roots orgasms.

She knew just how and where to touch to get Root worked up. She could read the slim, tall body so easily it was almost funny and there wasn’t anything more satisfying to Shaw than working Root up over and over again until she twisted and arched off the bed, desperately pulling at her tied hands and crying and begging for Shaw to let her come.

That was almost as big of a turn on to Shaw than pain was.

The control and power Shaw had over Root in those moments.

Seeing the tears and desperation.

The pathetic mewls and whimpers as she begged her to get her off.

And boy did she get her off.

When Shaw finally let root come, it was always a blinding orgasm. Usually making the brunette scream and twitch for minutes afterwards. Sometimes dragging out wracked sobs of relief. Sometimes, just outright gasping for breath as every part of her shuddered in aftershocks.

No matter what the reaction, it always led to a limp and needy Root.

Shaw could see it easily.

How the brunette would reach for her, with a soft pleading look in her eye. 

How Root would try and curl up against her as close as possible.

How she would ride out the last of her trembles and gasps against shaw’s skin.

Root needed the contact.

The comfort.

And Shaw was terrified she wasn’t doing it right until one day, Root dashed any doubt.

“God I love this part.”

Shaw’s eyes just widened a fraction and she looked down at the top of Roots head in surprise.

“You do?”

Roots brown eyes look up then, her head tilting upwards from where it was resting on Shaw’s breast and the brunette just chuckled, a glint of amusement in her eye. “Of course I do. I love a cuddle Sameen...and i know you don’t so thank you.”

Shaw just simply nodded, watching as root just settled back into her and fell asleep, a happy, peaceful expression on her face.

Maybe she was doing this right after all...


	5. Chapter 5

**Grocery shopping**

“Shaw sweetie, you can’t live off red meat.” Root rolls her eyes and pushes the cart further down the aisle and away from the refrigerator filled with steaks and burgers.

“Uh, I’ve done pretty well on it so far.” Shaw grumbled, eyeing the 3 measly steaks she had managed to slip into the cart before Root had slapped the others out of her hand.

“Outwardly maybe but who knows how this is doing.” Root taps on Shaw’s chest obviously referring to her heart and Shaw just grumbles again, stuffing her hands into her pockets and looking around the aisle in annoyance.

It was a Thursday afternoon so it wasn’t particularly busy but it was still a grocery store and there were still too many people around for Shaw’s liking.

She spotted a harassed looking mother looking between differ kinds of cereal while a chubby looking toddler sits in the basket, banging its hands against the handle and she huffs.

This is far too domestic for her liking.

“Root I can’t do this.”

“We’re almost finished Sameen.” Root sing-songed, patting the smaller brunettes arm before gesturing to the shelves in front of her. “Now be a dear and pick a seasoning for the chicken we’re having tonight.”

Shaw really doesn’t think it could possibly get any worse.

But then she spots Fusco and Reese and she feels a heavy weight settle in her gut.

Fuck this shit.

“Shaw? Root? What are you doing here?” Reese looks between them with his usual blank expression but he sounds confused.

“What does it look like John?” Root chuckled, gesturing to the cart.

Reese’s and Fusco’s eyes glance over the steaks and 2 six packs and then the actual groceries like eggs, potatoes, rice and curry paste Root had put in and Shaw has to clench her jaw when both men turn to look at her with obvious amusement in their eyes.

“Are you...grocery shopping...with cuckoo’s nest?” Fusco looks genuinely baffled and Shaw just scowls back at him.

“Don’t be jealous Lionel. I’m sure you’ll find someone to grocery shop with one day.” Root smiles her typical evil grin that she tends to reserve just for getting under Fusco’s skin and Shaw just shifts on her feet, watching Reese’s gaze settle on her.

“Very domestic of you Shaw.”


	6. Chapter 6

**Gen summer holidays.**

Root can always tell when something is bothering Shaw.

She’s quite perplexed by how difficult some people find her to understand actually. Sure she was subtle, but Root got it easily enough. 

“What’s wrong Sameen?”

“What? Nothing.” Shaw continues to chug at her beer, gaze fixed unseeingly on the TV and Root just sighed, finishing up the method she was in the middle of coding before hitting compile, smiling when it’s successful and shutting her laptop before focusing back on Shaw.

“You’ve been in your own head all day. Was it the number?” Root asks with a frown.

It was pretty run of the mill. They had watched the nurse for only a few hours before a meth head she had treated stupidly tried to kidnap her for drug money and Shaw had swiftly kneecapped the guy.  
There wasn’t anything about it that should have really affected Shaw.

She sees a small twitch in Shaw’s jaw though and then, the woman sighs before reaching for her cell, swiping the screen and then tossing it to Root who looks down curiously.

She reads the short string of emails, a small smile growing on her face before she looks back up.

“I had no idea you kept in touch with her...that’s sweet Shaw.”

The Persian just rolled her eyes and scoffed. “She’s almost as persistent as you are. I couldn’t get rid of her if I tried.”

Root just smirks and reads the final message again, a small lopsided smile growing on her lips.

“Is this what’s been bothering you? An 11 year old wanting to come spend the summer with you?”

Shaw just shifts. “Why does she even want to? What would I do with an 11 year old. It’s stupid.”

Root just hands her phone back and smiles. “Well she clearly likes you Shaw. And it must be pretty lonely up there in a boarding school all year. It would probably be nice to give her a change of scenery.”  
Shaw just snorts and looks around the apartment. “Yeah I’m sure she’ll just love all the beer and guns around here.”

“From what the machine filled me in on about her, I’m pretty sure she actually would.” Root laughed and then shook her head. “Sameen just do it. I know you care about her.”

Dark eyes flicker to her quickly at that, a frown on her forehead.

“And please don’t try to insult me by saying you don’t.” Root pats her thigh.

* * *

“Hi, you must be Gen.” Root smiles at the girl, her eyes sparkling as she sees the curious green eyes staring back at her and the adorable mess of freckles. Good god this girl was way more adorable that Root expected.

“Hi...are you Root?”

The little girl sticks her hand out and Root takes it with a bemused smile. “Yep that’s me. I bet Shaw talks about me a lot.”

Gen just shrugs. “She talks about you a lot more than anyone else. You work on missions and stuff too right?”

Root just nods, raising an eyebrow at Shaw. She told her about their missions...

“I made meatballs and spaghetti for dinner, it’s kind of my specialty.” Root grins and gestures to the kitchen. “I thought it would be a nice welcome to New York dinner.”

Gen grins too and nods her head eagerly. “Yes please! The food at school is gross.”

She skips over to the dining table that they have never used immediately and Root turns back to Shaw who just picks up the girls suitcase and gestures to the spare room that Gen will be staying in while staying in the city. “I’m gunna take this to her room...dinner at the dining table Root, really?”

“Just being a good little wifey.” Root smirks, giving her a quick wink before disappearing to the kitchen, ignoring Shaw’s huge eye roll.

Spaghetti and meatballs really is Roots specialty. She happens to be a very good cook and Gen and Shaw both shovel the food down like they’ve been starved while Root just shakes her head and delicately takes mouthfuls, silently amused. Gen talks both their ears off, ranting about the school, how boring and easy her classes are, how annoying the other girls are, how excited she was to be here for 6 weeks, all of the things she wanted to do while in New York...

“You do know we have a job right kid?” Shaw reminds her pointedly.

“Yeah that’s cool, can i come with you on a mission too?” gen looks at them hopefully.

“Absolutely not.” Shaw snorts, leaning back in her chair and shaking her head. “Finch will be looking after you if I have to go on a mission.”

Gen just pouts and looks at Root. “I can still go to the zoo though right?”

* * *

The next morning when Root gets up to make coffee, Gen is already sat in the living room, a bowl of coco pops clutched on her lap and her eyes fixed on the TV which is surprisingly on the news and not cartoons.

The girl looks even younger in her pyjamas and Root can’t help but smile sadly at her. 

She wasn’t much older than Gen when Hannah had been killed. 

She had felt all alone then too, even though her mom was still alive she wasn’t exactly a presence in her life and she kind of knows how alone this girl must feel. 

No family.

Locked away in a boarding school with people who didn’t understand her...

“Did you sleep well?”

Gen looks over at her as if startled and then nods, getting up to follow her into the kitchen, her inquisitive green eyes following her as she moved around making herself her coffee and toast.

“Are you and Shaw like...together-together?”

The hacker pauses, looking over her shoulder at the girl with a small flash of concern.

“Um...why do you ask?”

“Because this is a 2 bed apartment and I know you didn’t sleep on the couch...”

Root feels her cheeks flush a little and she quickly clears her throat, looking down at her toast as if it was the most interesting thing in the world.

She so didn’t expect this conversation.

“Maybe you should speak to Shaw about that.”

Gen just rolls her eyes. “We both know Shaw will deny it even if you are.”

Root can’t stop the small bubble of laughter at that and she crosses her arms and leans against the kitchen counter to regard the girl more fully. She was a sharp little thing.

“Does it bother you if we are?”

Gen immediately shakes her head. “No. You seem pretty cool...and Shaw seems to have turned her volume up.”

“Huh?”

* * *

The summer actually goes really well.

The numbers are actually pretty slow for the few weeks Gen is with them so they get plenty of time to take Gen to the places she wanted to visit like the zoo and the natural history museum and Root even manages to convince a reluctant Shaw to attend the   
picnic in central park that Gen begs for.

It makes Roots heart melt seeing the way Shaw clearly softens around the little girl and it almost makes up for the fact they can’t have much sex with her around.

Root realizes quite quickly that Gens taken a shine to her too.

The girl reminds her a lot of herself. Independent, slightly disappointed by people in general and wicked smart. Gen has something else to her though that doesn’t seem so dark and Root is grateful for that.

When it comes to the girls last night and the three of them are laid out on the couch watching the Avengers with takeout from the thai restaurant down the street Root can’t help but beam.

She never thought life would turn out like this but it’s so much better than she ever thought possible...

* * *

“So can I come visit at thanksgiving and Christmas too?” 

Shaw doesn’t even blink. “I don’t celebrate either of those kid.”

“Luckily i do.” Root grins and leans down to hug her. “I’ll buy a turkey just for us.”


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for such a delay guys! life go in the way!

**First argument.**

Their first argument is painful.

Literally.

“How could you not tell me about this Root?”

The brunette hacker just casually shrugs and pastes that infuriating little smile on her face. “Im telling you now sweetie.”

“Ms Groves I do have to agree with Ms Shaw on this one. You should not have been tracking him down without our knowledge. Lambert is exceedingly dangerous and without Samaritan its even harder to guess what its former operatives are capable of.” Finch looks down at his laptop screen. “With no clear purpose these people could be even more dangerous than they were before we took Samaritan down.”

“Why? Why have you even been going through the effort for this?”

Roots eyes narrow. “He kidnapped you Shaw. Held you prisoner for 9 months. Tortured you.”

“2 years ago Root.” Shaw rubbed at her forehead as if a sharp pain was suddenly manifesting and Root just laughed bitterly.

“I dont care how long ago it was Sameen. Lambert needs to pay for what he did to you.”

“And how exactly did you plan to make him pay Root? Kneecap the guy?”

“No, my bullets would be a lot higher than his knee cap.” The brunette muttered darkly.

“Ms groves.” Finch warns. “That is not how we do things.”

“Finch is right Root. I understand your motivation but you need to let it g-“

Roots glare alone is enough to cut off John mid sentence and she shakes her head at him. “I am not letting it go. I'm sorry she got caught in the cross fire.” Root sighed and gestured to Finch's laptop screen where a 40 year old woman's face is displayed. Annie Kelly, stumbled out of her apartment just as Root was chasing Lambert down the stairs and the bastard had stabbed her as a distraction to slow Root down so he could escape. “But i'm not going to stop tracking him.”

“He isn’t a person of interest Root, the machine-“

“I dont care what the machine says about this. She didn’t help me find Sameen in the first place.” Root snapped.

“Root-“

“No Shaw. Stop acting like your over it. Like it was something you just shook off.” Root turned fully to her then and Shaw knew instantly this was not going to go to a place she liked.

“You still have nightmares Shaw. You wake up shaking. You think i don't see you feeling behind your ear sometimes? You still don't trust some of our happy moments because you think your just going to be snapped out of a simulation and be right back there.” Root knows the rest of the team is looking between them with solemn expressions.

Shaw had never told them what Samaritan did to her and Root knows Shaw never really wanted them to know and she can see by the woman's tightening jaw she was only angering her but she couldn’t stop.

“Im not letting him get away with what he did to you. You may act like you don't care but i'm the one who has to worry that one day you’ll blow your own brains out not knowing if your repeating a simulation or not.”

“Simulation?” Fusco pips up, interrupting the painful silence that now hung heavy over them all as Root and Shaw glared at each other.

“They made her run through a simulation 7,000 times to trick her into giving up information. She shot herself in ever-“ Before root can finish, Shaw's fist connects with her nose and her head snaps back with a sharp crack.

“Shaw.” John reaches for her wrist, an apologetic look on his face but Shaw shakes it off and backs away, her dark gaze flickering down to the blood now pouring from Root's nose before looking back up to her eyes.

Silently Root hears both the accusation and the apology.

_How dare you tell them about that._

_I'm so sorry for hurting you._

* * *

Shaw disappears and Root panics so much she almost does drop Lambert in her search for Shaw but on the 6th day, the machine whispers co-ordinates to her and she finds herself and John facing the scummy British man in a shitty run down hotel room.

“Should have known you'd find me eventually.” He sighs but with an infuriating smugness and Root feels her finger twitch on the trigger. “my dear Sameen not with you?”

“Don't you dare talk about her.” Root grits out, raising the gun to point more fully at his chest.

Lambert just smirks and leans back in his chair as if he didn’t have a care in the world. Like the two gun barrels pointing at him meant nothing.

“I spent 9 months with Sameen. Through our little tests I probably know more about what goes on inside her head than you do.” He chuckles then, sipping at a glass of whiskey. “She has a very...interesting mind. It was quite illuminating.”

“Shut it Lambert.” John drawls out, his own eyes narrowed on the Englishman.

“I'm sure Ms Groves can only appreciate my insight.” He focuses more fully on her then and smiles. “If the things Sameen's mind conjured have any basis in reality, you two are quite... _close_ are you not.”

Roots hand shakes and she grits her teeth.

“You were always the most interesting part of the simulation. She didn’t start fucking you till the hundredth go round but she always seemed more agreeable after that.”

Root shoots him in the knee.

“Ms Groves!” Finches voice bites through the comms and Root just ignores him. 

“Oh come on Ms Groves. You hardly seem the type to be modest. I would think you'd enjoy knowing that your precious Sameen thought of you during her time with us.” Lambert still has that infuriating smirk on his face, even if it is a bit pained now as he clutches trembling hands to his ruined knee cap. “It certainly kept our team entertained...she was quite imaginative. Tell me are you as much of a screamer as her mind think-“

He doesn’t get to finish before a soft pop goes off and his brain splatters the mirror behind him and Root just stares at the small perfectly round hole in his forehead before turning to look over her left shoulder only to find Sameen stood there, her silencer held in one hand.

“Shaw.” John breathes out, relieved that she had reappeared but also concerned.

Shaw doesn’t react though. Her unreadable expression just stares at Lambert before her brown gaze flickers to Root.

“Sorry Harold.” She mutters.

* * *

“I'm sorry i told the team about the simulations.” Root breaks the silence between them and just watches as Shaw pours herself a large glass of whiskey.

Finch hadn’t said anything about the fact Shaw had killed Lambert but he had given them all a reprimanding look as they had met up in the subway and Root was grateful when Shaw simply muttered that she was going home and had allowed her to follow her silently back to her apartment.

The ensuing silence that filled the living room as Shaw prepared her drink however was too much and Root had to break it.

“I know you confided it in me...i shouldn’t have...i was just so mad Sameen. It makes me sick what they did to you. Its worse than torture...its-“ Root ends in a sigh and just shakes her head.

Shaw just sips her drink and then, surprises the hacker by sitting down besides her on the couch.

“I'm sorry i punched you. And I'm sorry i disappeared for a few days. Just needed to be alone.”

Root just nods slowly. “That's okay. I get why you did it...and I deserved it.”

Shaw's jaw clenches and she shakes her head. “No. Maybe before it wouldn’t have been so bad...but not now. Not when we’re-“ Shaw gestures between them. “I shouldn’t hurt you like that. Out of anger anyway. Its not right.”

Root just smiles halfheartedly. “You know i don't mind a bit of roughing up Shaw.”

“There's a difference and you know it.” Shaw looks at her seriously then and Root nods.

She does.

“Well...i forgive you for it.”

Shaw nods and finishes off her whiskey. “If you tell the boys something private i tell you again, i’ll burn that ugly bat pillow.”

Root just grins. “Okay Sameen, i promise.”


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Warning**
> 
> Smut of a rimming nature ahead! - may not be your cup of tea so feel free to jump ahead but i have always found it funny to imagine Shaw kissing roots ass... literally.

**Rimming**

“Sameen...please.” 

Shaw didn’t lift her head from where she was softly kissing Roots throat, nor did she speed her fingers up where they were slowly pumping between the brunettes spread legs.

She had been fingering the woman for at least half an hour, making sure to take her time, building the brunettes arousal up till she was absolutely dripping wet before she had even pushed two fingers inside her and now, she was deliberately going slow, making the body beneath her twist and arch, desperately seeking out more.

“Sam.” Root whined but she didn’t beg again.

She knew when Shaw wasn’t going to give in and this was definitely one of those times.

Instead, she resigned herself to the torture, whimpering and bucking her hips up desperately against Shaw's hand, hoping Shaw wouldn’t deny her for too long.

Shaw curled her fingers in response, rewarding Root for her patience and smirking when the brunettes mouth fell open in a silent shriek.

She curled again, more forcefully, pressing down roughly on the spongy spot against Roots front wall that always made the hacker cry out and she almost laughed when Root shuddered, her whole body curling up against Shaw's hand only for her to mewl in disappointment when Shaw instantly pulled her fingers out entirely.

She pulls away and kneels backward, keeping her hands firmly on Roots thighs to keep her spread open and her heated gaze fixates on Roots glistening, slightly swollen pussy.

She had such a beautiful body and when she was aroused this part of Root only got more appealing.

Using her fingers to spread Roots pink folds, Shaw swallowed when she saw the way the small hole she had just been knuckle deep in was clenching rhythmically, obviously wanting something to clamp down on.

“Shaw! Please sweetie...” Roots hands tugged at the rope binding her wrists to the headboard and Shaw just smiled, running her hand teasingly through the wetness but not enough to bring any real pleasure.

“patience root.”

The brunette made a little humph sound and Shaw only smirked, lowering herself till she was laying on her belly between Roots legs, face inches away from her center.

She knew Root loved oral.

The brunette never lasted very long when Shaw's mouth was on her which is why Shaw usually waited so long to do it. 

She didn’t like getting Root off right away.

It was much more fun breaking the brunette completely by dragging it out.

“Oh my god sam.” Root gasped as soon as Shaw run her tongue teasingly along her slit and Shaw was careful not to apply too much pressure as she carefully lapped at the abundance of sticky wetness that was practically leaking down the hackers legs.

Roots gasps and shudders was all Shaw needed to guide her.

The second her hips started to rise too much, Shaw pulled away.

The moment her breathing became too fast, Shaw pulled away.

“Please sameen. Please.” Root was practically crying and Shaw gently squeezed her thigh. “Calm down Root.”

The brunette whined but after a few seconds, her breathing calmed down a little and Shaw squeezed her thigh again. “good girl.”

She waits another few seconds to make sure Root is back from the edge before she lowers her head again, burying her tongue in Roots clenching hole and she hums for a moment, savoring the taste and closing her eyes before readjusting and lapping her tongue out again, only this time, she slips slightly lower and she only just feels the foreign crinkled texture at the tip of her tongue before she hears a keening whimper and her eyes snap open in surprise, her tongue pausing.

That's all she can hear is Roots heavy breathing and a strange pulsing in her ears and she feels frozen.

“Shaw.” Roots voice croaked almost brokenly and Shaw just blinked before experimentally, dipping her tongue lower again, more firmly flicking over the crinkled skin and this time there was no mistaking the loud, drawn out moan and the way Roots whole body shook.

Huh.

So she was into _that_ then...

Shaw doesn’t really hesitate to keep licking and she quickly adapts, firming up her tongue a little as she flicks at the much tighter, firmer hole and she feels a small pang of satisfaction as she listens to the way Roots whimpers and moans seem to have increased in frequency.

“Oh my god...oh god...Shaw...baby...”

Root sounds honestly wrecked and Shaw cant help but shift closer, her mouth more eager than ever as she pushes her tongue as hard as she can, breaching the tight ring of muscle at the same time as she slips two fingers up and pushes in to the knuckle in Roots pussy.

The brunette cries out sharply and Shaw hums, pumping and curling her fingers while her tongue wriggles as best it can.

That's all it takes is a few more curls of her fingers and pulling her tongue away slightly to use her lips to suck at Roots tight ring instead and the woman is screaming her name, hips bucking upwards halfway off the bed before collapsing backwards.

Shaw brings her down for a few moments, gently pumping her fingers but then she pulls away, getting up to her knees so she can look down at roots still quaking body and she smiles a little, running her hand over Roots hip bone and over her stomach before moving up the bed so she can hover over the brunette.

“Well that was interesting.”

Roots hands are still tied to the headboard but Shaw has a feeling if they weren’t, the hacker would be covering her face.

Of all the things they had done...this is what embarrassed her?!

“I- i had no idea that would feel that good.” Root admitted sheepishly, her hazy gaze fixing on Shaw. “Sorry..I- did you even want to do that?”

Shaw just untied Roots bindings and laid down besides her. “Wouldn't have done it if i didn’t.”

Root still looks mortified and Shaw can tell the woman needs a second to calm down and shes obviously got god knows what running through her mind so Shaw takes the time to climb from the bed and walk to the bathroom.

She swills her mouth out with water first, then two rounds of mouth wash and then brushes her teeth, throwing her toothbrush in the bin afterward, making a mental note to pick up a bunch of disposable brushes from now on just in case before she heads back into the bedroom and gets back into bed.

Root looks slightly less embarrassed now and Shaw rolls on top of her slightly, leaning in for a kiss.

“Did you just wash your mouth out?” Roots face looks unreadable as they break the kiss and Shaw just shrugs.

“Yeah. Hygiene is kind of critical when that areas involved.” Shaw grips her ass as if to emphasize her pint. “unless you wanted to kiss me after id been down there?” Shaw raises an eyebrow and watches in amusement as Root turns beetroot again.

Neither of them had problems kissing each other after going down on each other. It just wasn’t even something they thought about but Shaw had been a doctor after all and her knowledge of bacteria meant she knew to be hygiene focused after _that_ particular sex act.

“No.” Root muttered, her gaze dropping awkwardly before she sheepishly meets Shaw's gaze again. “Did- i mean...did it taste bad?”

Shaw just smirked. “No root, your clean. it just tasted of skin.”

Roots chocked groan and averted eyes amused Shaw endlessly.

Finally she had something to embarrass Root with.


	9. Chapter 9

**Marriage:**

The first time she sees them is when she comes home late from a number and finds Root asleep on the couch, a magazine open on her chest and 3 more scattered on the table.

Her body freezes as soon as she realizes what her eyes are seeing and she silently picks one up, eyes widening when she see the little scribbles Root has done on some of the pages.

_“too many flowers.”  
“beading too gaudy but lovely train.”  
“this cake is beautiful!”_

So not only is Root looking at these magazines. But shes actually put thought into them. Written down small thoughts and notes.

The twisting in Shaw's belly feels suspiciously like panic and she just swallows thickly before dropping the magazine like a hot coal and heading right back out of the apartment.

She walks for another hour before she rings Roots cell.

“Hey. Numbers finished. On my way home.”

“Okay sweetie. See you in a bit.”

When she gets into the apartment again, the magazines are thankfully gone.

* * *

A few weeks later they get a number.

At a wedding.

Shaw would laugh at the irony but when she sees Root watching the ceremony with a big smile on her face and a soft look in her eye she cant feel amused, she just feels twisted.

Shes gotten pretty good at reading Root and despite the smile and soft look, she can feel the sadness also clouding her and she shifts in her seat, downing the expensive whiskey she had stolen from the bar.

What the fuck was happening.

* * *

“You know, Ms Groves is rather fond of these things.”

Shaw's gaze flickers from where Root is dancing with Reese, the both of them smiling surprisingly warmly at each other to Finch who is also watching, although his gaze isn’t as narrowed as Shaw's, just observing calmly.

“While you were still captured by Samaritan we had a number at another wedding. I was surprised how much Ms Groves seemed taken by it all.”

Shaw drunk more of her whiskey.

“Oh really? Hey Shaw- when you gunna pop the question to coco puffs.” Fusco chuckles, nudging her arm with his fist playfully and Shaw just grits her teeth, shooting a glare at Fusco who just laughs harder, shaking his head and sipping at his own drink, a bottle of beer. “Man i would pay good money to see what your wedding would be like.”

“Whose wedding?” Root and Reese's dance had obviously finished just in time and Shaw once again focuses on her whiskey, ignoring Roots curious gaze.

“Yours and Miss congeniality over here.” Fusco laughed nodding at Shaw.

“Your getting married?” Reese asks, his usual dull tone piqued in surprise.

“No.” Shaw bites out, maybe a tad more vehemently than needed and she doesn’t miss the slight flinch on Roots face, or the way the brunettes smile slips just a tiny bit before her usual perky smile covers it.

“I don't think we’re the marriage type.” She laughs it off and takes the seat next to Shaw again, only this time, she doesn’t reach over and try to entangle their fingers again like she had earlier in the day.

Shaw's jaw just clenches.

* * *

“I need your help.”

“Are you talking to me Sameen?”

Shaw rolls her eyes and glares at the CCTV camera. 

She tried not to interact with the machine directly too much. She was much happier leaving Root to handle that, especially since the machine had decided on Root's voice and persona when Harold had finally set it free to defeat Samaritan.  
It was creepy as fuck to Shaw, not to mention it was almost as if Root had another girlfriend sometimes...

“No i'm talking to the CCTV camera.” She growled sarcastically.

“Now there's no need to be rude sweetie. Especially since we rarely have the chance to talk.” The voice sounded almost smug and Shaw rolled her eyes. Sometimes the machine acted so much like Root the Persian wondered if Root had done something to it like upload her damn brain or something.

“Now what can i help you with Sameen?”

“I need to know Roots ring size.”

The silence in her ear piece felt like it went on forever and Shaw shifted on her feet awkwardly.

“Hello?”

“Sameen, are you- planning to propose to Root?”

The machine sounds shocked, something Shaw didn’t realize an AI could be and she shifted again, glaring at the CCTV.

“Why? Jealous?”

“Not at all. I'm happy in fact. Root will be thrilled. And as for ring shopping, I can definitely help you with that.”

* * *

If someone had told Shaw 5 years ago she would be shopping for an engagement ring for Root, with the machine constantly chattering in her ear in Roots voice, pointing out which cut of diamond she thought Root would like she would have had herself committed to the funny farm.

“Would you shut up. I'm proposing not you. I’ll pick the damn ring.”

“But I know rings that Root has appreciated in catalogs and I am familiar with her web browsing and what preferences she has so-“

Shaw pulls out her ear piece and just stares down at the vast array of rings, feeling her fingers twitch nervously.

How the fuck was she supposed to do this.

Was she crazy?

Why the fuck was she even doing this...

“Hello miss, can i help you?”

The young woman smiling back at her from behind the counter looks pleasant enough. Her smile isn’t overbearing like usual service staff and Shaw finds herself just blinking at her for a moment before sighing, her shoulders slumping.

“I'm looking for a ring.”

The woman nods and smiles, a knowing look taking over her features.

“Let me guess, an engagement ring?”

Shaw just nods curtly, annoyed that she was obviously so obvious.

“Well, let me get a few of these out for you.” The woman smiles and opens the counter in front of her, pulling out a cushion with rows and rows of diamond rings. “I get a lot of people in here who get overwhelmed...do you have any idea of what your looking for? Just so we can narrow it down a little?”

Shaw twists her fingers together inside her jacket.

“Not gold.”

She had seen it scribbled in one of Roots magazines.

The sales lady just nods encouragingly, already plucking a few of the rings off the cushion and setting them aside.

“And do you know what cut of diamond your looking for?”

Shaw's mind goes blank and the woman seems to know it because she smiles again. “Or better yet, if you think of your partner, what kind of style does she have?”

Shaw chews on her bottom lip.

Root was a practical dresser. 

She mostly wore jeans and boots and blouses with leather jackets or blazers. 

Sometimes she went for pants and a shirt. 

On the rare occasion they needed to be fancy, she always wore a classic cocktail dress.

She rocked the hell out of all of them. None of that give Shaw any idea of what kind of damn diamond ring Root would like though.

She tries to conjure up an image of a ring on Roots finger and she feels herself shift again on her feet.

“She has elegant hands.” Shaw finally blurts out, feeling embarrassed when she realizes what she said and quickly stares down at the glass case in front of her, avoiding the sales girls eyes. “I guess... I mean I don't imagine something big or gaudy on her hand. Her hands are too thin and...elegant. Like a pianists hands.”

The woman behind the desk hums and Shaw looks up again, surprised that the woman isn’t just laughing at her but actually seems to be contemplative.

“I'm thinking more classic then? Understated? Maybe vintage?”

Now that sounds right.

Shaw nods.

The redheads eyes lit up and her smile widened. “I know just the ring.”

* * *

“I think it was meant to be, this ring just came in 3 days ago.” The sales girl smiles and Shaw can feel the woman's gleeful gaze on her, watching her as she held the ring between her fingers and stared at it.

Shaw didn’t really believe in fate, but she had to hand it to the girl, she was right about this ring.

As soon as she saw it, Shaw could imagine it on Roots finger.

“Its a classic style ring, beautiful but not gaudy. Its a ¾ carat marquise cut solitaire diamond in a claw stone setting with diamond halo surrounding the main stone and diamond shoulders along the band.”

Shaw just blinks, not really taking in what the sales girl is now saying.

She doesn’t care about the description.

That's all she cares about is how she can imagine this ring glinting off Roots hand when she holds a gun...

* * *

“Excellent choice Sameen. I can tell you there is a 99.8% chance Root will love it.”

* * *

The ring sits in her pocket for 4 weeks.

She's already gone above and beyond.

This is way more than she even expected of herself so when it comes to actually proposing she has no idea what to do.

The thought of dropping to one knee in a restaurant or park and asking Root to marry her, being all mushy and stuff...it just doesn’t feel right. It feels fucked quite frankly.

But she is totally out of her element here, she literally has no clue and the last thing she wants to do is ask Fusco or Reese or even Harold.

So after the 6th week she gives in.

“Root 2.0. how should i do it?”

“I thought you’d never ask Sameen...”

“Look, just tell me straight forward what to do okay, none of your stupid mind games, i get enough of that from Root.” Shaw grunted, glaring down at her watch as if somehow that was to blame.

“Sameen, sweetie...you've been over thinking this way too much. Its adorable really, i cant wait to tell Root how much you've tried once you've finally proposed.”

Shaw just grits her teeth.

“Whats the one thing you know Root loves?”

Shaw looks around for a moment before sighing. “Me?”

“Exactly. She doesn’t want anything but you Sameen, just as you are...so tell me...do you still not know how to propose?”

Shaw just stares at the coffee table, the cogs in her brain slowly starting to turn.

* * *

The machines advice makes her slightly uneasy.

Surely it can’t be that easy...

Regardless, the machine has never been wrong before so she does exactly what she says.

Changes into her sweatpants and tank top. Orders from Roots favorite Chinese place. Turns on the TV.

As soon as Root gets home she beams in greeting, kissing Shaw hello before disappearing to the shower and Shaw tries to ignore the squirming in her gut as she waits for the brunette to join her.

Luckily timing is on her side because the Chinese turns up just as Root is towel drying her hair and she finds herself smiling a little when she sits down besides the hacker, handing her her plate piled high with chow mein and black pepper beef.

The night is no different to the thousands of other nights they have spent together in this apartment.

And that's exactly what the machine had hinted for her to do..

“Hmmm, that was delicious.” Root hums, putting her plate on the coffee table along with Shaw's before stretching out, putting her feet in Shaw's lap. 

Shaw just nods in acknowledgement, twisting the ring in her pocket between her fingers.

“Are you okay sweetie? You seem quiet?”

Shaw finally, meets the familiar brown eyes and she just stares at Root for a moment, taking in her messy, slightly damp waves. The make up free face that shes grown to expect on the pillow besides her every morning. 

Roots face is slowly fading into worry, a small frown marring her forehead as she waits for Shaw to answer but the frown smooths out into a stunned expression when Shaw simply raises the ring from her pocket and holds it up.

Even in the dim light from the lamp in the corner and the glow of the TV screen, the diamond sparkles and Shaw swallows as she looks at it for a moment before looking back to Root, trying not to smile when she sees the absolutely gobsmacked expression on the woman's face as she blinks at the ring.

“I don't want this to change anything.” She says simply, placing her spare hand down on Roots foot which is still resting in her lap.

“What we have...its- its more than i ever thought id want. Doing this every night for the rest of our lives.” Shaw gestures to them and the apartment and tries not to react when she sees tears immediately begin to well up in Roots eyes. “Its all i want. I don't need a ring or a certificate to prove that...but i get why you want it...and- so if you want the same thing.” Shaw swallows. “then i'm in Root. I want to give you what those silly magazines show you. I want to give you everything I can.”

Tears are streaming down Roots face now but she still hasn’t moved, she's still reclined completely across the sofa, her feet in Shaw's lap and the small Persian feels a flicker of what feels suspiciously like panic before she shifts to more fully face her and hold out the ring.

“Will you marry me?”

* * *

“Shaw...i love you.”  
Shaw just pulls Root closer on her chest and presses a kiss to her sweat dampened hair.  
“I know.”  
She can practically feel Roots grin into her breast and then for what feels like the hundredth time of the night, Root lifts her hand and stares at the ring now sitting snugly on her finger.  
There was something incredibly sexy about Root completely naked and snuggled into her side with just the engagement ring on and Shaw had to bite her bottom lip to stop herself rolling them both back over and going for round 4.

* * *

Root doesn’t push for a big wedding surprisingly.

Shaw had been preparing herself to grit her teeth and bare a day that would be everything she hated so shes shocked as hell when Root doesn’t do any of the stuff she was expecting.

She does make them both buy wedding dresses (“Shaw please, if we’re getting married i cant not see you in a wedding dress”)

But apart from that, Shaw has very little else to complain about.

It happens in the middle of July in a rustic lodge in upstate new York. 

Its a private property that they rent for the weekend and Shaw sets the place up herself, laying out 12 chairs facing the glass patio doors which lets in a gorgeous green view of the trees and sun outside.

Fusco, Fusco’s new girlfriend Jemma, Lee, John, Zoe, Finch, Grace, Gen, Daniel Casey, Jason Greenfield & Daizo all come up to spend the weekend and Shaw feels surprisingly comfortable with the crowd.

Roots ordered beautiful vases of lilies to lay out everywhere and hired a caterer for a buffet after the ceremony & Shaw knows that ribs are on the menu so she’s happy.

“Is this really how you saw your wedding?” Shaw asks once they've completed setting up.

Its gorgeously decorated, the seat coverings Root bought are pale yellow, which goes nicely with the rustic look of the room and the lilies dotted perfectly around and light shining in from outside fills the whole room with a warm glow.

It was incredibly romantic Shaw had to grudgingly admit.

But she is worried that Root has been thinking of a wedding day for clearly a long time and Shaw hopes it lives up to her expectation.

Root just grins at her and pulls her closer. “Shaw, this is even better than i imagined. Its perfect.”

* * *

Shaw didn’t realize how much she wanted to see Root in a wedding dress until the woman is walking down the makeshift aisle towards her, on Harold's arm and Shaw feels her whole body hum when Root stops in front of her, beaming smile on her face and an overwhelmingly warm look in her eyes.

Shaw has never felt her emotions as powerfully as she does in that moment and she finds herself stuck, just staring at Root with no ability to even open her mouth.

She is the most beautiful, breath taking thing Shaw has ever seen and she wants to tell her that but her throat feels strangely tight and she ends up just blinking.

The way Roots eyes well with tears though lets her know that the brunette gets it and Shaw swallows, completely oblivious to the knowing looks being shared amongst their friends as the two of them just stare at each other.

“I knew you'd look beautiful in a wedding dress.” The taller woman finally breaks out, her usually cocky and confident voice cracking a little over the words and Shaw just swallows again as Root looks her up and down, the look of utter adoration only growing in her big brown eyes.

The officiator of the ceremony is some guy Root booked online and his words are surprisingly thoughtful in a way that fits them and Shaw is still so stunned by Root standing there with her she can barely make it through repeating the words, stumbling like an idiot.

Root seems to find her stammering funny though because her grin only grows increasingly wider as the vows draw to a close and Shaw barely registers the words “You may kiss your bride.” Before she is blindly leaning in, nudging Roots nose with her own in her rush to actually kiss the woman she just vowed to spend the rest of her life with.

“We’re married.” Shaw mutters as soon as they break apart.

She turns to glance around the room, noting everyone's big smiles and the eager way everyone is clapping for the first time and Shaw realizes that she literally hadn’t noticed anyone else in the room for the last 15 minutes...

“Yes we are sweetie...”

Shaw blinks and looks back at her, then down at the plain platinum band on her finger and the matching one now on Roots.

Holy shit.


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sorry i disappeared but life as usual gets in the way! i'm uploading the last bunch of remaining chapters i have already written. Hope you enjoy.

**Extended time apart:**

10 days.

It had been 10 days since Root had kissed her goodbye and boarded a plane to Fiji on the machines orders and Shaw wasn’t going to admit it out loud...but it was awful.

There had been periods where Root had disappeared for weeks at a time at the height of their war with Samaritan and although they had been sleeping together at the time, it hadn’t affected her this much. 

Now though, now Shaw realized just how ingrained Root was in her life.

The apartment just felt empty.

She missed waking up to Roots splayed limbs wrapped around her.

She missed hearing Roots tone deaf singing in the shower.

She missed watching the woman eat daintily at whatever meal they were having.

She missed Root.

/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

“Hey sweetie, have you missed me?”

Shaw just leans back against the couch and lays her hand down on Bears head, pressing her phone as impossibly close to her ear as she could.

“Actually...yeah.”

Root obviously didn’t expect such an honest answer because there's a beat of silence before the brunettes sigh comes down the line. “I miss you too Sameen. Hopefully i’ll be wrapping things up here soon.”

“How long?”

“Maybe another 3 or 4 days.” Root sighs. “I'm sorry sameen, the number has a very poor support network so im just making sure my work wont be undone before I leave.”

Shaw just nods and stares at the apartment wall.

“I promise as soon as Im home we’ll spend the whole day in bed and i’ll order all your favorite foods so we don't even need to leave our bed.” There's a tone in Roots voice that means what she says and Shaw feels a small tug low in her belly.

Sex was one of the biggest thing she missed.

Going from sex at least once a day minimum to 10 days without it was a drag.

“You wont be able to walk once I'm through with you.”

“Mmmm sounds like heaven Sameen.”

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

2 days later she gets a picture text from Root of the former assassin clad in nothing but a dark blue lace negligee set and a caption “I bought this for our reunion.”

///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

She lives up to her promise.

Before the door is even shut behind her shaw has root pinned to the door and she ignores the woman's sharp gasp of surprise and just starts tearing at her shirt immediately.

“Shaw.” Root gasps out, eyes darkening as Shaw kisses her and squeezes at her now exposed bra clad chest.

“Don't. Ever. Leave. That. Long. Again.” She punctures each word with a sharp bite of her teeth along Roots jaw and throat and the brunette woman all but collapses into her, whimpering as she presses her harder against the door, pressing her knee between her legs and grinding till Root is humping her thigh.

Shaw doesn’t even bother undoing Roots jeans, she just shoves her hand down and inside, her fingers seeking out her goal immediately and pushing in as far as she can get and pulling away to watch as Roots head fell back against the door, eyes closing.

“Fu-ck.”

She pumps her fingers so hard and fast that within minutes her arm aches and when Root comes, spasming around her 3 fingers and gasping her name. She doesn’t stop, she just shoulder presses her more firmly into the door and fucks her until a second, larger orgasm wracks her and she feels roots nails bite into her back.

“Shaw- please...stop...too much.”

Shaw keeps pressing for a few thrusts more but then pulls away, watching as Root shakily tries to balance again on shaky knees.

“Bedroom now.”

///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

She brings Root to another 2 orgasms with her mouth before she allows the brunette to actually return the favour and when she finally does feel Roots fingers push deep inside her, she has to bury her face in Roots neck.

Its too much.

Too overwhelming.

When the fuck did she turn into this sap.  
////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////


	11. Chapter 11

**Arguing:**

They don’t argue often.

They bicker.

God do they bicker.

But it rarely escalates into genuine anger or heated words.

They both knew how to get under the others skin and they were so opposite in so many ways that they naturally just clashed on things but it was rarely a big deal. In fact, most of the time, it would end in either Root saying something wildly inappropriate or Shaw giving an exaggerated eye roll and then the both of them usually ended up either laughing or fucking each other.

So when it did actually happen, and they really did argue...it was intense.

“What did she do?”

Root just glowered across the room at Shaw and shook her head. “Nothing. She did nothing.”

Fusco just frowns in response, clearly confused as he looked between Shaw who was across the room cleaning her gun and Root who was bashing angrily at the keys on her laptop.

They had stormed into the subway together but quickly moved as far away from each other as possible, both with anger radiating off them. 

So much so that even Fusco had picked up on it.

“Really? Because you seem pretty pissed off coco puffs.” 

“I told you Lionel, she did _nothing_.” Root deliberately picks up her voice, glancing over at Shaw who pauses in her cleaning and shoots an obvious withering look over at them. 

Fusco nods slowly and steps away from them both, heading over to where John & Finch were busy discussing their strategy for the big job they had on for the night.

Its why everyone was there.

All hands on deck to intercept a shipment of arms and explosives coming into the dock this evening.

“Man those two are frosty. I don't know how comfortable i am with Shaw having a gun tonight.” Fusco eyes the small woman fearfully and John follows his gaze, first to Shaw and then to Root, not missing the way the two women were exchanging glares.

“It seems Ms Shaw has upset Ms Groves.” Finch surmises, his own gaze flickering between them.

“Shad didn’t intervene when their neighbor hit on Root this morning. Root isn’t happy that Shaw didn’t appear jealous.” Roots voice sounds in all three men's ears then, the machine opening up a private line to speak to the three of them and John just chuckles quietly to himself and turns back to the map of the warehouse.

“yeah that’ll do it.”

//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

“If you think I'm sleeping on the couch your sorely mistaken.”

Root doesn’t listen to Shaw and still throws down Shaws pillow onto the couch. “Your not sleeping in my bed.”

“Root.” Shaw half growls half sighs in frustration, running a trembling hand through her hair in an attempt to calm herself down and not snap completely at the woman's attitude. “Would you stop acting crazy for 5 minutes and just calm down.”

Roots eyes narrow and an angry snort escapes. “Calm down. Sure Sameen, how crazy of me to care that my wife doesn’t give a shit if i go out and sleep with our next door neighbor.”

“I didn’t say i didn’t give a shit, i just said its not _that_ big of a deal.”

Roots doesn’t even bother responding. 

She hates how much Shaw just doesn’t get it.

“Well sleeping on the couch isn’t a big deal either.”

“Root...” Shaw growls out but the sound of the bedroom door slamming shut stops her from saying anything else.

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

“We’re married. Shes supposed to care if I sleep with other people you know.” Root downs her shot and grimaces, lining up the 4th shot of the night and downing that too before turning to look at Fusco’s girlfriend Gemma.

She and Root had surprisingly hit it off much to fuscos annoyance and she had been the first person Root had thought to call when she realized she needed a bar and a night away from the stifling silence of her apartment now that she and Shaw were arguing.

“I get it...but you've said it yourself, she has a personality disorder right?” Gemma shrugs and downs her own shot. “Its hard sustaining a relationship with someone like that. Half of my clients who have an axis 2 personality disorder barely maintain a relationship for a week never mind however many years you guys have been together now, i mean...if you cant feel.”

Root just frowns at that and shakes her head. “No, not shaw...she may feel differently to the majority but she does feel. I know she does.”

Gemma nods, “I don't doubt it, I've seen the two of you together. That woman would take a bullet for you. Multiple probably.”

Root sighs and nods in agreement.

“But that doesn’t mean she understands every emotion.” The redhead gestures around the room. “People are complicated Root. Their complicated to me and you and we probably think a lot like them...Shaw doesn’t think like us.”

Root nods glumly and twirls her glass. “I know...i guess its just never affected me before.”

/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

“Are you drunk?”

“yup.” Root pops the p and grins, putting down her half eaten box of pizza onto the kitchen counter and moving over to the sink to pour herself a glass of water, ignoring Shaw’s narrowed and watchful eyes.

“Roots alcohol level is 1.05.” The machine chimes in from the speakers in the living room and Shaw just sighs, leaning against the kitchen counter.

“So this is your solution? Getting shitfaced.”

Root doesn't respond, she just downs the glass of water and then slowly grins, moving towards Shaw with an almost predatory look on her face. “Cant a girl let loose once in awhile.”

Her arms wrap around Shaws neck easily, her body pressing into the smaller brunette as it has done so millions of times before, only now, Shaw's body stiffens and Shaw grits her teeth as she feels root lean in, pressing a kiss to her throat.

“What the hell are you doing?”

“What does it feel like sweetie.” Root chuckles back playfully, deliberately un-banding one arm from around Shaw's neck to instead roam her front, cupping one breast just as she bites down slightly on Shaw's ear.

Shaw's body is obviously reacting. 

Its been over a week since they've had sex and Shaw isn’t used to such a stretch without Roots touch anymore but it doesn’t take her very long to shake herself out of the daze and reach for Roots wrist, stopping her from moving. “No Root. Not like this.”

“Oh come on Sameen...don't act like you haven’t missed this.” Root grins again, pressing her hips a little harder against Shaw's since shes not able to move her hand now but Shaw just pushes her away slightly and her smile falters.

“Your drunk. I'm not fucking you when your drunk and still angry with me.”

Root just scoffed and stepped back. “of course not.”

Shaking her head, she moved over to the other side of the kitchen, staring at the tile for a moment before stepping back and heading for the door. 

“Where are you going?”

“To see Michael.”

“What?” Shaw hurried after her, stepping in front of her just as she reached the door. “Root quit being childish.”

“I'm not childish. I'm horny.” Root barked, glaring at Shaw. “Michael obviously wants to fuck me and you don't right now so there’s no harm in me going across the hall to get my rocks off right? Since you don't particularly care about me fucking someone else.”

Shaw clenched her jaw.

“You don't even like dick Root and I never said I didn’t care . Jesus Christ half of Manhattan would fuck you if they could. Am I supposed to be pissy and territorial to everyone? Is that what’ll make you happy?”

Root bit her tongue and turned her glare to the wooden door instead of the visibly angry Shaw.

“Sex is just sex Root. Two bodies making the other feel good. You want honesty? The only reason neither of us have fucked anyone else since we got together is because of you.”

Roots gaze whips back to Shaw then, hurt, angry and shocked all surging through her like bolts of lightening but Shaw remains steady and fixed.

“Your the one who makes sex more. You attach feelings to it. Sex means something to you and that's the only reason it means something to me.”  
Root just blinks.

“I used to fuck people whose name I didn’t even know Root. It meant nothing except to keep the edge off and take care of an urge. Sex with you is different because I fucking love you. If you had sex with someone else do you think it’ll feel the same as when your with me?”

Root swallows and shakes her head.

No it definitely wouldn’t.

“You know what would make me jealous? The thought of you loving someone else.” Shaw looks less angry now but no less serious and Root feels suddenly sober.

“If you came home and told me you cared about someone else...that you liked talking to someone else more than me. That you trusted someone else more than me. If someone else made you laugh or made you feel safer than I did.” Shaw’s voice is quiet but her words feel like their hitting Root with the force of a punch.

“I don't care if someone else can make your body feel good Root. I care about how they make you feel.”

The silence that rings out after that is deafening and Root doesn’t know what she’s feeling more. Her mind and stomach is churning more than she ever remembers and its not helping that Shaw is now looking at her with one of the softest looks shes ever seen.

“So can we stop fighting now?”

Root just nods silently.  
/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys,
> 
> So this may be a bit bitter sweet but this is the last chapter I have. Feels like a good place to end these series of one shots.
> 
> Merry Christmas everyone!

**Starting a family:**

“Root has a 65.7% chance of conceiving a baby via insemination.”

Shaw who was in the middle of her second rep of squats when the machine speaks nearly falls over, her balance sliding for a moment before she rights herself and stands up, glaring around the room as if to find something that represented the Root 2.0 so she could shout at it.

“What the fuck are you talking about C3PO?”

“A star wars reference? Oh sweetie, there’s a little nerd in you somewhere after all.”

Shaw just shakes her head and snatches up her water bottle with a huff. The damn machine was worse than Root she swears...

“But back to our original topic. Root is 35. Her optimal age for child bearing has past and-“

“Okay, why the hell are you saying this shit? Root isn’t having a baby.”

“I know, that’s what I’m trying to tell you. You’re running out of time. If you plan to have them biologically of course.”

Shaw grit her teeth and downed some of the water, giving herself time to calm down before she responded again.

“We aren’t having kids.”

There’s a long silence then and Shaw almost thinks the machine has given up and disappeared but then she heard a heavy sigh and she wants to scoff at the machine actually making herself sound frustrated. It was scarily human now.

Heck half the time she had to clarify if it was Root or the machine talking to her.

“Sameen. Root would really like a baby with you...and I’m aware you secretly would like a child too. In fact, when you settled on this apartment you searched nearby schools.”

The tiny Persian shook her head. “That was to make sure we didn’t get traffic in the mornings and afternoons.”

“You checked their ratings and enrollment costs.”

Shaw grits her teeth again and finishes her bottle of water. “Root and I can’t have a kid.”

“Actually, I already told you, there is a 65.7% that you can. I have requested a sperm donor catalog from the best bank in the state, it’ll arrive tomorrow morning.”

/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Shaw makes sure she gets the mail before Root the next day and she shoves it hastily under her dresser, scowling at it as she does so.

The machine was such a meddling bitch.

/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

“Root imagines 2 children.”

Shaw tenses up when she hears the casually spoken words and she grits her teeth for a moment before deliberately flicking the page of her book, focusing on the words in front of her.

“A boy and a girl.”

“If-“

“Shut up.” Shaw growls out and slams her book shut. “This is human stuff, not machine stuff. Stay out of it.”

“But Sameen, you’ve looked at the brochure yourself...surely you must have some pull to the idea.”

Shaw glares at the floor, wishing she hadn’t succumbed and flicked through the book of sperm donors now. Of course the machine had seen. She saw every damn thing.

“Look...just stay out of it okay. I’m thinking about it.”

The machine lets out a small satisfied hum at that and Shaw almost hates it as much as Roots smug sound.

/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

“Do you want kids?”

Root looks up from her laptop so shocked you’re surprised her head didn’t whip right off but you don’t react. You just stare at her plainly, waiting for an answer and she just shifts in her seat for a moment, closing the lid of her laptop and resting her hands on it.

“Why do you ask?”

“We’ve never talked about it. When we got married...I didn’t really think about it.”Shaw shrugged and she saw the way Roots eyes dimmed just a little.

“Yes I assumed as much...which is why I never brought it up, I assumed you wouldn’t want any.” Root doesn’t look disappointed or anything, just sort of...casual but Shaw knows better and she just regards her for a minute before disappearing back into the bedroom.

She pulls out the brochure the machine had sent and heads back into the kitchen, not surprised to find Root hasn’t moved and is clearly just sat there waiting for her.

Her hands unlace when Shaw holds out the book and Root takes it with a confused frown, looking down at the plain black cover.

“Potential donors. I circled a couple of the guys who look like me and aren’t losers. The machine checked them all for high fertility and gene/family issues too. All were good.”

Roots eyes are so wide they look ready to pop and she stares open mouthed down at the book for a second before back up to you. “What? You- you want kids?”

“Just don’t suggest any stupid names Root.”

///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Root narrows the six profiles Shaw had picked down to two and then together they settle on one.

78AH.

30 year old cardiothoracic surgeon.

Iranian.

Clean health, no family history of heart disease or psychological issues.

The machine gives them a bit extra.

He’s a family man with 3 kids, living in Rhode Island. He’s a great cook, loves animals and plays the drums in his spare time.

“Smart, artistic, kind and he looks like he could be your twin brother.” Root smiles, tapping the picture twice and then meeting Shaw’s gaze with such a hopeful look on her face it makes Shaw’s stomach twist and she just nods silently.

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

3 weeks later finds Shaw sat in a cafe next to Reese, staking out a homeless man across the street whose number had come up and although her mind should be totally focused on the potential threat/victim, she’s too far in her own head to even notice when John pushes a fresh cup of coffee at her.

“It’s not like you to be unfocused. Is everything okay?”

Shaw just blinked, glancing sideways at Reese before nodding and looking back out the window. “Yeah.”

“Sure?”

Shaw lets a long silence envelope them for a bit, her bottom lip caught between her teeth as she gazes off into the distance again before she sighs. “Root and I went to the doctors yesterday.”

She sees the concern immediately form and Shaw shifts in her seat.

“Roots trying to get pregnant.”

Now it’s Johns turn to blink but he only does it a few times before a small smile curls at his lips and he looks at her with a genuine expression. “Really? That’s great Shaw.”

“You think so?” 

“Why wouldn’t I?” John sips at his coffee and shrugs. “Strangely enough, i think you and Root would make good moms.”

Shaw just blinks at that.

Moms.

Her and Root.

Jesus Christ what was the world coming to.

///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

She expected more time.

Making a baby, it was supposed to be hard right?

They were talking about making a whole new human for Christ sake.

And it’s not like Root was young either. At 35 Root was easily 8-10 years older than the average women sat with them in the waiting room.

Shaw expected at least a few months and a few attempts before Root would actually get pregnant.

Not a positive pregnancy test less than 4 weeks after the first insemination.

“You’re not happy?” Root asks, her beaming smile still in place even as she lowers the white plastic stick and focuses on Shaw.

Shaw just blinks.

She’s not sure what she’s feeling.

“Shaw...don’t freak out now sweetie. It’s a bit late for that.” The brunette chuckles and wraps her arms around the smaller brunette’s waist, not seeming to care one bit that Shaw was still stone faced and stiff. “We’re having a baby Sameen.”

/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Shaw knows she’s not reacting well.

She knows if she were with anyone else she probably would have been dealing with a bawling woman threatening to leave her or trying to sit her down for conversations every day.

Root however seems to take it in stride.

She grins enough for the both of them as they go get her vitamins from the doctor.

She has a beaming smile on her face when she lays on the couch stroking her still flat stomach.

She cuddles into Shaw's body every night in utter contentment.

She knows Shaw is over reacting and freaking out and she isn’t worried about it.

Shes giving the Persian room and time.

It speaks volumes about how far they’ve come.

//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Shaw snaps out of it when she wakes up to the sound of Root wretching in the bathroom.

It sounds so loud and pained, like Root cant stop and Shaw quickly climbs out of bed, padding down the hall to the open bathroom door.

Root is sat on the floor,her arms around the toilet bowl and her head resting on the cool porcelain of the wall. Tear streaks are down her cheeks and she looks almost grey and Shaw feels a swell of sympathy like shes never felt before and without even thinking about it she drops to her knees behind Root, wrapping her arms around Roots waist and laying her cheek against Roots shoulder.

Neither of them say a word but Shaw feels Root sink back into her arms gratefully and she squeezes her gently, laying her palm flat against Roots still toned stomach.  
“morning sickness?”

Root nods pitifully in response.

Shaw presses a kiss to her shoulder and raises her arm to brush through roots hair. “I'm sorry.”

“Nothing to apologize for Shaw. Believe me, this is nothing compared to how happy i am to be having your baby.”

Its the first time Root had said something so directly about the baby.

Normally it was just pregnancy talk about things she couldn’t eat or drink now or about their future gyno appointments.

She’d never mentioned baby before.

And now she’d said _your_ baby.

Shaw's baby.

She was happy to be having _Shaw’s_ baby.

It was Shaw’s child growing in there.

Shaw's fingers stretch on Root's belly.

Fuck.

Her baby.

///////////////////////////////////////////////

Root’s stomach doesn’t start to curve till she’s three and a half months but when it does, Shaw notices immediately.

Its barely there, the kind of difference only someone who is regularly intimate with Roots body could notice and Shaw is immediately fascinated by it, running her fingers over the gentle slope that even Root cant really feel yet.

Its this change to Roots body that really drives the change in her and she finds herself embarrassingly protective.

She hovers around Root like any moment something could go wrong.

Always seeking out some form of body contact, even if its just her reaching out to touch her back or hip.

The second Root sighs or shifts, Shaw is immediately doing something like grabbing an extra pillow, offering to cook or reaching for Roots feet to massage them.

Its sickening how whipped she is acting but the worst thing of all is, she doesn’t even really mind.

“Really Shaw? Nail painting?” Fusco gives her a raised eyebrow but Shaw doesn’t bother looking up from where she is carefully painting Roots toenails.

“Shes being a good wifey Lionel.” Root giggles, looking fondly down at Shaw's bent head and then back to the police officer who looks disturbed. “Nothing wrong with taking care of the future mother of your child.”

“Jesus Christ.” Fusco mutters, shaking his head. “You've turned Shaw into a lap dog.”

Shaw finally glances up, her eyes flashing as she looks at Lionel. “Tell me again how well your marriage worked out Lionel?”

The mans mouth drops open and Roots laugh fills the subway.

/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Root finds it kind of adorable how obsessed Shaw becomes with her body.

She knew Shaw loved her body previously and it wasn’t rare to find Shaw’s dark eyes watching her or eyeing her up previously, but since her stomach started to round out, Shaw’s stares only became more blatant and there was something satisfying about the way Shaw constantly cupped her stomach, or run her hands over her far more pronounced curves.

It was sweet but sexy all in one and Root could only smile into her pillow when she woke up to find one of Shaw's hands pressed flat to her stomach while her other was down the front of her pyjama bottoms, the Persians fingers gently stroking through the slickness between her legs.

“Shaw...hmmm...this is a nice way to be woken up.” Root turns her head so she can see the woman's face and she hums in contentment when Shaw gladly meets her for a kiss over her shoulder.

Shaw works her up to a slow, lazy orgasm that makes her whole body shudder when she finally comes and she can only nuzzle further into the woman behind her who slowly migrates both her hands back to Roots solid, round bump which Root suspects is now Shaw's favorite body part.

“You’re really pregnant Root.”

“I am sweetie.”

///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

She goes into labour at 3 am on a Thursday and Shaw pays the cab $200 to get them to the hospital as quickly as possible which is a little excessive but Root wasn’t complaining.

When they get to the hospital, its quite funny how Shaw took over, ordering nurses and doctors to check different things while simultaneously squeezing Roots hand and the brunette didn’t think it was possible but she falls a little bit more in love with the woman.

“I promise you Mrs Shaw your wife is in the best possible hands and the labor is proceeding perfectly.” The doctor reassures, his gaze flickering to Root for a moment before settling back on an irate Shaw. “We will keep a close eye on Mrs Shaw but she is only 5 cm dilated so we may have some time ahead of us.”

It only partly satisfies Shaw but she sits down anyway and Root spends the next 2 hours constantly reassuring her that shes okay until suddenly shes not and the pain in her belly makes her cry out.  
“Okay Mrs Shaw, your baby is crowning...now's the moment we need you to start pushing.”

/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

The feeling is unlike Shaw has ever felt before and it almost makes her numb it’s so overwhelming.

The second the doctor places the wriggling, blood and mucus covered, screaming infant in her arms, she should have been horrified but instead, the soaring feeling in her chest and the way her stomach flips makes her whole body shake.

This is her son.

The feeling just isn’t describable. Hitting her all over and so hard it feels like her brain is short circuiting.

This is her son.

“Congratulations both, you have a healthy baby boy.” The nurse beams at them both but Shaw doesn’t even hear her, shes too busy just blinking down at the slowly calming baby in her arms.

“Shaw...” Roots exhausted sounding voice is much quieter than the nurse who'd just congratulated them, but her attention immediately switches to her and she can only blink when she sees Root's tired eyes but unbelievably soft smile. “Can i see him?”

Shaw immediately steps forward, lowering the baby so Root can take him and Shaw didn’t think she could feel anything so overwhelming or huge as the feeling she had when the doctor had handed her the baby but she was wrong.

Seeing Root glow as she holds their baby to her chest, gazing down at his scrunched up face in awe...

Shaw doesn't recognize what the wetness on her cheek is till she brushes away the tear.

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Root falls asleep not long after the birth which is understandable. The woman looks utterly exhausted and Shaw is actually relieved when she sees the tired brown eyes droop shut.

Root had been fantastic.

“Her vitals are all great. She will be tired when she wakes up but she is well. Congratulations Shaw.”

Shaw isn’t surprised the machine found someway to speak to her and she looks up at the speaker in the corner of the room before glancing down at the baby who is asleep in her arms.

She hadn’t been able to put him down yet.

“You should remove your shirt.”

Head whipping back up she frowns at the speaker. “What?”

“Skin to skin contact. Its good for a baby after the trauma of childbirth and it promotes bonding and connection between mother and baby...plus it would be silly of me to ignore an opportunity to get you to take your clothes off.”

Shaw rolls her eyes.

Jesus Christ the machine was so much like Root it was scary.

Contemplating the suggestion for a moment she nodded and placed him back in his plastic cot and quickly pulled her t shirt over her head, picking him back up again and moving back to her seat besides Root, laying the baby on her now bra clad chest and smiling when his little fist pressed against her and his head turned into her skin.

“Have you got a name for him?”

Shaw just hums, stroking the back of the baby's head, stunned by the peacefulness that feels like its flowing from her chest.

“Tallis.”

“After your father.” The machine sounds approving and Shaw just glances over at Root.

“Shes going to be fine yeah?”

“Yes sweetie...she’s going to be better than fine.”


End file.
